1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the storage of information on a network. More particularly, it concerns a secure, online depository for documents such as, but not limited to, those dealing with the disposition of property after death and the execution of medical decisions.
2. Description of Related Art
The effective management of important information and documents can be of utmost importance as evidenced by the recent Terry Schiavo case, where a dispute arose about the end-of-life wishes of Ms. Schiavo. Ms. Schiavo was in a vegetative state for years and apparently did not possess a living will or a similar document that would provide guidance about medical decisions. The public and the judicial, congressional, and executive branches of government became embroiled in a bitter debate about whether Ms. Schiavo's feeding tube should be removed. The debate could have been avoided if Ms. Schiavo's wishes were recorded and maintained in a manner allowing for access by, e.g., medical personnel. Unfortunately, the Schiavo case ended sadly-she was allowed to pass away while lingering questions remained about whether her wishes were indeed respected.
While not as dramatic as the Schiavo case, other shortcomings associated with the maintenance of information and documents abound. It is common for loved ones not to know about end-of-life decisions of a living, or deceased individual. For example, it is common that family members will not know whether a deceased family member (a) had a will, (b) where such a will is/would be located, (c) had any real estate or other not-so-apparent possessions, (d) had any not-so-apparent debts or other end-of-life responsibilities, or (e) had any specific funeral wishes. Likewise, if tragedy strikes a family member, it is common for there to be questions about whether a living will exists and where it is located, whether there is a medical power of attorney, etc. Problems such as these can be exasperated when one travels or when one is admitted into a medical facility that is far away or new to a family.
Safety deposit boxes attempt to address some of these problems by offering a place where important documents can be locked away. However, access to needed information in a timely manner is problematic when the safety deposit box is the sole repository of vital information. The safety deposit box, while secure, is very much “out of sight, out of mind.” Consequently, individuals tend to forget to update it when life situations change, and in many cases, vital information is so out of date as to lose its relevance to a current emergency situation. If an emergency arises or if one is located away from a safety deposit box, it is difficult if not impossible to access its contents. For example, if a hospital requires a copy of a medical directive in a time of emergency, a safety deposit box is of little help. Similar problems exist for any physical safekeeping location for documents and information.
Shortcomings mentioned above are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are among many that tend to impair the effectiveness of previously known techniques concerning the handling of important information and documents. At least because the methodologies previously known in the art have not been altogether satisfactory, a significant need exists for the techniques described and claimed in this disclosure.